Big Ten Notebook: Purdue’s March Madness run continues, now one win from Final Four

Another Big Ten basketball team booked an appearance in the Elite Eight.

On Friday night, Purdue continued its championship form with an 80-68 win over Gonzaga. The Boilermakers are now one win away from their first Final Four appearance since 1980.

In their latest win, Zach Edey continued to show why he is one of the best players in the country.

As Purdue pulled away in the second half, they were led by Edey, who scored 27 points. He also added 14 rebounds to his resume while dishing out one assist. The Toronto native was the only Purdue player to score more than 14 points.

While Gonzaga didn’t make things easy, Purdue thrived close to the basket. They outscored Gonzaga in the paint 40-26. The Boilermakers also shot 57.1 from three-point range and made clutch shots down the stretch. Regardless of Gonzaga’s adjustments, Purdue found a way to overcome them.

FEELIN’ ELITE. 😤

Let’s go play for a trip to the Final Four!@BoilerBall | #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/yjbY6ymL1A

— Purdue Athletics (@PurdueSports) March 30, 2024

 

“It’s pick your poison,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few told ESPN. “They shot it great from 3, and then in the second half, we shut down that area pretty good. Then, Edey was just a load.”

After an off day on Saturday, Purdue will be back in action on Sunday when they take on Tennessee. Entering that matchup, Purdue is the favorite, according to ESPN. However, they have a challenging task ahead, as Tennessee has scored at least 70 points three times during the tournament.